Population 18,349 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Jefferson County
Household size in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
The average household in Jefferson County has 2.46 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Household size has edged down from 2.53 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the center.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.1 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.5 | 37.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.0 | 38.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.0 | 38.8 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.0 | +1.4 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Jefferson County is 44.0 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 42.1 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the center.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.6% | 10.8% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.5% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.3% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Jefferson County: 5.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 3.1 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Jefferson County has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Kansas counties.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Jefferson County
Renters in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 30.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.2% | 32.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.3% | 32.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | +2.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Jefferson County is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.3% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Among homeowners, 43.4% have no mortgage at all, above the national share of 39.8%. Only one other Kansas county has a lower share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.4% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.4% | 11.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 9.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Jefferson County than nationally: 7.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Only four of Kansas' 105 counties have a lower vacancy rate.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1971 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1972 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Jefferson County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the southeast, while the northwest has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $700 | $769 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $736 | $858 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $815 | $950 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $946 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$245 | +$390 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Jefferson County costs $946 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $245 a month from 2006–10, a 35% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 22.2% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southeast; the highest are in the west.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Jefferson County
Bachelor's degrees in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.2% | 30.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 21.6% | 31.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 23.4% | 33.6% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 24.5% | 35.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +4.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Jefferson County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 24.5%, against 35.6% nationally. The share with a degree has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.7% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.2% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.5% | 90.8% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.2% | 91.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +2.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Jefferson County is above the national rate: 94.2% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Jefferson County
| Period | Jefferson County | Kansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.3% | 6.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.9% | 6.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 4.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 4.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Jefferson County has been low: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 1.8 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Jefferson County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 2.46 | 44.0 | 5.5% | 14.3% | 7.8% | 1979 | $946 | 24.5% | 94.2% | 2.5% |
| Leavenworth County | 2.72 | 39.5 | 9.5% | 30.7% | 6.5% | 1982 | $1,375 | 37.5% | 94.3% | 4.4% |
| Wyandotte County | 2.83 | 35.5 | 16.4% | 38.0% | 10.8% | 1964 | $1,241 | 21.3% | 81.3% | 5.8% |
| Platte County | 2.56 | 39.8 | 10.3% | 32.6% | 6.8% | 1990 | $1,409 | 47.3% | 96.5% | 2.7% |
| Clay County | 2.59 | 38.7 | 11.2% | 30.5% | 6.1% | 1987 | $1,396 | 37.5% | 94.1% | 3.7% |
| Pottawatomie County | 2.77 | 37.3 | 5.4% | 17.8% | 8.5% | 1984 | $1,157 | 39.3% | 96.6% | 2.4% |
| Riley County | 2.32 | 30.7 | 9.1% | 53.9% | 9.5% | 1987 | $1,125 | 46.9% | 96.7% | 4.6% |
| Ray County | 2.57 | 42.3 | 10.8% | 22.7% | 8.8% | 1973 | $867 | 16.3% | 90.0% | 3.8% |
| Clay County | 2.24 | 42.6 | 12.8% | 22.0% | 10.8% | 1962 | $1,011 | 25.9% | 93.4% | 1.2% |
| Saline County | 2.69 | 35.7 | 10.6% | 30.2% | 18.0% | 1969 | $818 | 24.5% | 86.4% | 3.2% |
| Howard County | 2.62 | 39.0 | 9.2% | 21.3% | 18.1% | 1974 | $816 | 27.9% | 90.9% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Currituck County, NC · Summers County, WV · Sublette County, WY · Stone County, MS · Stone County, AR · Stewart County, TN · Stephens County, TX · Socorro County, NM · Smith County, MS · Franklin County, TX
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Jefferson County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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